Controversy Erupts Over National Assembly Summoning Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan as References for KFA Hearing

Controversy is mounting over the National Assembly's decision to name football players Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan as references for an upcoming hearing regarding the Korea Football Association's (KFA) unfair management and poor World Cup performance.

The National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on July 22 to address issues such as the operation of the KFA and the process of appointing the national team head coach.

Former KFA President Chung Mong-gyu, former national team head coach Hong Myung-bo, and former technical director Lee Im-saeng are expected to attend as witnesses to answer questions regarding the selection process of coach Hong, the association's management, and accountability for the World Cup failure.

However, the inclusion of Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan, who have returned to their respective clubs to prepare for the season, on the list of references has sparked significant backlash.

In particular, as Son is currently in the middle of his season with his club in the English Premier League, attending the hearing could potentially disrupt his entire season schedule.

Commentator Park Moon-sung publicly criticized the National Assembly's decision on his YouTube channel.

[Interview | Park Moon-sung, Football Commentator (YouTube 'Dalsuney Live') : "There is an LA derby on July 18. They have a match against Salt Lake on the 23rd, and Salt Lake even has a commemorative event related to Son Heung-min. So, they are asking him to come to a hearing on the 22nd, right in between those dates? This is absurd."]

It is expected that Son would be questioned about the background of his exclusion from the starting lineup against South Africa and rumors of discord with former coach Hong Myung-bo, while Hwang would be asked about the process of his selection for that match. Critics argue that such questions do not align with the purpose of the hearing.

The hearing is intended to examine the overall system, including the KFA's administrative operations, the coach appointment process, and the causes of the World Cup failure. Opponents argue that questioning individual players about match details or internal team atmosphere is inappropriate.

Consequently, there is criticism that placing overseas-based players, who are unlikely to attend, on the list of references is merely a performative gesture.

It is reported that Representative Im Oh-kyung requested the inclusion of the two players as references. During a parliamentary inquiry held by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee in September 2024, Representative Im had questioned whether coach Hong Myung-bo had become a victim due to loopholes in the KFA's administrative procedures.

Following the mounting criticism, Representative Im withdrew the request to summon Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan as references this afternoon.

Reported by Kim Jiuk | Video by Lee Ui-seon | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News | Source: YouTube 'Dalsuney Live'
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.